A River Falls father has been arrested on suspicion of homicide after three girls — presumably his daughters — were found dead in his ex-wife’s home.

Aaron Schaffhausen, 34, was booked into the St. Croix County jail at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 10, on probable cause for three counts of first-degree intentional homicide, according to jail staff.

The girls’ mother called police Tuesday with concerns about their safety because of “statements made from the father of the children concerning their well-being,” according to a statement from River Falls officials.

Officers went to the home at 2790 Morningside Ave. about 3:30 p.m. and were met by the odor of natural gas filling the house.

The girls were found dead. No one else was in the home at the time.

Officials have not named the girls or said how they were killed, but have said they match the girls’ descriptions.

The three girls are age 5 to 11.

Schaffhausen turned himself into police a short time later.

Police spokesman Scot Simpson said more information would be released Wednesday.

Wisconsin court records show that Aaron and Jessica Schaffhausen filed for divorce in August. When the divorce was granted in January, Aaron Schaffhausen listed his address in Minot, N.D.

The couple was granted joint legal custody of their children, with primary placement with the mother in River Falls.

The mother is safe and is assisting in the investigation, police said.

“All of us (are) saddened by this tragedy,” said River Fall Police Chief Roger Leque, adding that there is no remaining danger to the community.

Support services are being established for community members, police said.

The home where the girls lived is in a newer subdivision on the eastern edge of town near the River Falls Golf Course. Late Tuesday night, police had cordoned off much of street the house is on.

Several neighbors watched the commotion outside their homes and expressed shock over the three girls’ deaths.

“It was a quiet family,” said Chrissy Petersen.

Another neighbor, Ashley Bauman, said, “The girls were always really friendly. They would be out playing” in the neighborhood.

Chad Bauman said he often greeted the girls’ mother, who lived with them, and said he believed the father lived in another state.

The matter was the second incident resulting in death in the last week in River Falls, a college town of 15,000 people about 25 miles southeast of St. Paul.

On Friday, a 22-year-old man died and another man was hospitalized after a double stabbing during a confrontation in the 200 block of West Cascade Avenue. An 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of aggravated battery, but the investigation is continuing.

Andy Greder covers two varieties of football — Minnesota Gophers and Minnesota United, aka the club embarking into Major League Soccer this year. Since joining the Pioneer Press full time in November 2013, he’s also covered the Timberwolves as a beat and spot duty from the Vikings to high schools. He was a part-time breaking news reporter at the Pioneer Press from 2011-13, when he was also a freelance writer and organic farmer. He started at the Duluth News Tribune in 2006, covering sports, news and business until living abroad in 2010.

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